Dominical Sportfishing south of Quepos/Pez Vela

DOMINICAL

Sporfishing Dominical is one of the most popular activities for visitors to this South Pacific region of Costa Rica. Dominical is often called ‘the gateway to Costa Rica’s South Pacific’. This small, steadily growing beachfront village is located on the southern extremity of the amazingly beautiful Central Pacific coast, 28 miles south of Quepos, and about the same distance north of Palmar Norte.

Often the best way to decide what to include in your own custom tailored sportfishing package is to see what others before you have reserved.

Dominical is best known as a surfers’ paradise; waves can reach more than 10 feet high. It is a four-km long beach strip, with several hotels, B&B’s, hostels, resorts, surf stores, boutiques and restaurants.

Dominical not known as a Costa Rica fishing destination

Dominical is not considered a prime Costa Rica fishing destination. Dominical fishing in the immediate area is restricted to several local charter operators with small pangas or center consoles who will take anglers out for primarily half-day outings inshore near the rocks and beaches. Anglers who fish Dominical can look forward to catching Snapper; Pacific Snook when the tide is right; Grouper when bottom fishing; Mackerel; and several members of the Jack family, among others.

Until fairly recently, getting to Dominical was quite an adventure. You had to travel either on a narrow, pot-hole-filled and dusty gravel road along the coast from Quepos that could take a couple of hours or more; or well over an hour along an equally formidable gravel road from Pérez Zeledón (now San Isidro de El General) 25-30 miles to the coast.

Getting to Dominical was an adventure

Rains would often wash out or submerge low-lying sectors of the coastal road, and travel was often impossible unless with a four-wheel drive, or via a long, uncomfortable, slow and bumpy bus journey. Small landslides would also close the road from Pérez.

All that is now in the past. Dominical can now be easily reached. Just over 10 years ago, the road from San Isidro was paved; it’s a half-hour journey. About three years ago, the Quepos-Dominical stretch of the coastal highway was widened, paved, and new bridges built, also making the trip from Quepos about half an hour along a modern two-lane highway. Or you can take a commuter flight to either Quepos (25 minutes) or Palmar Norte (35 minutes), and travel overland from there.

For Dominical fishing, travel to Quepos

As for fishing Dominical, here is what we recommend: if you are staying in the Dominical area, and want to fish Costa Rica with a well-known, experienced captain, then book your Costa Rica sportfishing charter with us on a boat out of Pez Vela Marina in Quepos.

It’s only a 30-minute or so drive, and in Quepos you will be assured of an offshore or inshore charter with a top Costa Rica fishing captain. Your rage will also be expanded. Instead of simply fishing Dominical, if you fish Costa Rica from Pez Vela Marina, depending on the bite, you might also travel to the rich Veintiseis.